Contents

Culture

The Thenns consider themselves the last of the First Men. They speak the Old Tongue and most have only a few words of the Common Tongue.[1] They are led by the Magnar of Thenn, who is considered more a god than a man by his people.[2] Because they have laws and lords in their valley, some consider the Thenns more sophisticated than other free folk and closer to the people south of the Wall. They have more dealings with giants than other men.[3]

The Thenns are savage fighters, but because of their belief in the Magnar as their god they are more obedient and disciplined than other free folk.[1][4] They are often better equipped than most free folk, with bronze helms,[1] axes of bronze and a few of chipped stone,[5] short stabbing spears with leaf-shaped heads,[5] bronze swords,[6] leather shirts sewn with bronze discs[5] and scales,[7] and plain unadorned shields of black boiled leather with bronze rims and bosses.[5] They use bronze-banded warhorns to warn each other about the Night's Watch.[8]

A Dance with Dragons

Soon after Mance is defeated at the Wall and his host broken, a dour warrior in fur and amber urges the survivors to come with him and take refuge in the valley of the Thenns. Though the Thenns had fled their valley to find safety south of the Wall, hundreds of free folk still follow the unnamed warrior northward.[10]

The defeated Thenns at Castle Black are now led by Styr's son, Sigorn, the new Magnar of Thenn.[11] The Thenns refuse to join the Night's Watch in defending the Wall.[12]

Quotes

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The closer they got, the more the Thenns held back. They have never seen the Wall before, not even the Magnar, Jon realized. It frightens them. In the Seven Kingdoms it was said that the Wall marked the end of the world. That is true for them as well. It was all in where you stood.[8]